Method of making textile fabrics



Jan. 12, 1932 slLVERMAN 1,841,159

, METHOD OF MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS Filed Dec. 15, 1930 I N V EN TOR.

LEO 51L VERMA IV A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE LEO SHIVERMAN, 0FELKINS PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO LEOSILVERMAN & 00., INC 01 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COB- IPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA .METHOD OF MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS Application filedDecember 15, 1930. Serial No. 502,448.

My invention relates to a new and useful method of maln'ng textilefabrics, whereby a certain new and highly desirable knitted millineryand trimming fabric is produced.

My invention relates more particularly to a novel method of forming amillinery and trimming fabric of wide sheets or webs of glycerinatedregenerated cellulose, sometimes own commercially under the trade nameof cellophane, whereby not only a .highl desirable resultant roduct maybe obtaine but whereby also t e product may be produced with the leastamount of damage or spoilage.

It is an object of my present invention produce a millinery and trimminfabric having metallic lustre and earl-like and open texture, which willbe su ciently pliant and resilient and yet permanent and durable, so asto be adaptable for millinery and trimming purposes, and which willpossess a thickness of body dependent upon the width of the regeneratedcellulose webs, and in which the width of webs is disposed transverselyof the plane of the fabric, thereby producing at the same time, arelatively open texture.

With the above and other ob'ects in view, which will appear more fullyom the following detailed description, my invention consists of a novelprocess or method, in-

' eluding a certain series and sequence of steps,

whereby a relatively wide web or sheet of relativel fragile regeneratedcellulose may be trans ormed intoa uni ue and highly useful knittedmillinery and trimming fabric, without incurringdamage to theregenerated cellulose or the resultant product.

My invention further consists of other novel features of method andproduct, which will appear more full hereinafter.

For the purpose of i ustrating my invention, I have shown in the accomanying drawings a form of apparatus whic is at present preferred by meIn carrying out a part of the novel method comprising my invention,since the same has been found in practice to ive satisfactory andreliable results, althoug it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized, and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicatelike parts:

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic side elevational view of theapparatus which may be used for subdividing the wide regeneratedcellulose webbing into the narrower webbings for the subsequent steps ofmy method.

Figure 2 represents a diagrammatic plan view of the same.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In carrying out my invention I utilize a web 1 of regenerated celluloseabout .0007 to .003 of an inch thick and about an inch and a half to twoinches wide, more or less a suitable length of which is arranged upon asuitable roll 2. The wide regenerated cellulose web 1 is passed throu hopposed and operatively aligned series 0 circular discs 3 and 4 whichare revolved in o posite direc tions by any suitable means not shown).The discs 3 and 4 are arranged as indicated particularly in Figure 3, sothat their contiguous edges shear or slit the web 1 alon suitably spacedparallel lines, thereby divi ing the web 1 into a corresponding seriesof narrower webs 5 of any desired width, ranging from one sixty-fourthto three sixtyfourths or a sixteenth of an inch. These narrow webs 5 arethen taken'up individually upon suitable take-up spools-6, driven by anysuitable means.

he regenerated cellulose web 1 is transparent, colorless or undyed aswill be brought out more in detail hereinafter.

The narrow, colorless regenerated cellulose webs 5 are then rewound ontosuitable bobbins (not shown), and while being thus rewound, (by anysuitable winding means) they are coated with a film of suitable thin oilor an oily substance, such as glycerine, for the purpose of renderingthe same more susceptible to the subsequent softening operatio Thenarrow regenerated cellulose webs thus finally wound on bobbins, arethen formed into a textile fabric by knitting said webs in a moist ordamp atmosphere, either singly or m multiple, over a set of knittingneedles -(upon any suitable machine) continuously and in the same,direction, so that the tension on said regenerated cellulose web-or websis not momentarily increased at intervals, as by a change of thedirection of traverse of the thread carrier with respect to the needles.Thus, the regenerated cellulose webs are'knitted either singly or inmultiple, over a circular knitting machine, into atu- I bular fabric,with the rate and direction of traverse maintained generally constant.The moisture is supplied preferably by blowing a fine spray of coldwater into the atmosphere surrounding the knittin needles ;or ifdesired, the regenerated cellu ose webs may be passed through water orvapor preliminary to the knitting. The oily film or glycerine causes agreater retention of moisture by the regenerated cellulose web, and aidsin softening the same.

The tubular fabric thus produced is referably taken up entirely by thewei t: of the fabric itself, without any additiona takeup means, wherebythe fabric, and hence the loops upon the needles, are not subjected toany substantial tension, so that the formation of the loops ofthe'narrow regenerated cellulose webs is maintained free of all strainor tendency to crush or distort the loops, or to sharply bend said websbeyond the curvatures which the regenerated cellulose webs tend normallyto assume b reason of the inherent resiliency of said we bing.

The raw tubular knitted fabric, thus produced, is then washed while inthe tubular formation or condition, to remove the oily film on theregenerated cellulose .web, and

while still in the tubuIar formation or condition, the fabric is dyed tothe desired color.

While still in the tubular formation or condition the dyed fabric isthen dehydrated centrifugally or by other suitable means, to a pointwhere it still contains a substantial percentage of moisture ;about 5%,more or less, and is then drawn onto a suitable form, upon which thefabric is stretched out. The fabric is allowed to dry in the air bnormal evapo ration. Lastly the tubular ormation is cutopenlongitudinally, so that a flat, single-ply finished web of fabric isproduced.

l The fabric thus produced possesses a earllike and open texture and ametallic ustre,

and is capable of withstanding suflicient wear to make it highly usefulfor millinery and trim g purposes.

I am aware that the'invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout de arting from the spirit or essential attri utes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiments to be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not redrictive, reference being had to theappended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate thescope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I hereby claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of, making a millinery and trimming fabric which consistsin slitting a long and relatively wide web of regenerated cellulose intolong and relatively narrow webs of a width ranging from approximatelyone sixty-fourth of an inch to approximately one- I sixteenth of aninch, depending upon the 7 tion longitudinally to. form a finished, flatweb of knitted fabric.

2. The method of making a millinery and trimming fabric which consistsin cutting a long and relatively wide web of regenerated cellulose intocorrespondingly long, but relatively narrow webs of a width ranging fromapproximately one sixty-fourth of an inch to approximately one-sixteenthof an inch, depending upon the thickness desired in the resultantfabric, softening said relatively narrow webs, forming the same into atubular textile fabric, by knittin said relatively narrowwebs over assetof itting needles continuously and in the same direction, and lastlycutting open said tubular formation longitudinally to form a finished,flat web of knitted fabric.

3. The method of making a millinery and trimmin fabric which consists incutting a long an relatively wide web of regenerated cellulose intocorrespondingly long but relatively narrow webs of suitable width,depending upon the thickness desired in the result ant fabric;softening'said relatively narrow webs, forming the same into a tubulartextile fabric, by knitting said relatively narrow webs over a set ofknittin needles continuously and in the same d lrection with the widthof said relatively narrow webs disposed generally transversely of theplane of the resultant fabric, thereafter dyeing said tubular knittedfabric and dehydrating the same, and cutting open said tubular formationlongitudinally to form a finished, flat web of knitted fabric of opentexture.

4. The method of making a millinery and trimming fabric which consistsin cutting a long and relatively wide web ofregenerated.

cellulose into correspondingly long, but relatively narrow webs ofsuitable width, depending upon the thickness desired in the resultantfabric, softening said relatively narrow iao webs, forming the same intoa tubular textile fabric, by knitting said relatively narrow tubularformation Ion itudinally to form a finished, flat web of knitted fabric.

5. The method of making a millinery and trimming fabric which consistsin cutting a long and relatively wide web of regenerated cellulose intocorrespondingly long, but relativel' narrow webs of suitable width,depen ing upon the thickness desired in the resultant fabric, treatingsaid relatively narrow webs with a softenlng reagent, forming said outwebs into a tubular fabric, by knitting the same over a set of knittingneedles generally continuously and inthe same direction with the widthof said relativel narrow webs disposed generallytransverse y of theplane of the resultant fabric, and without any substantial tension onthe resultant fabric issuing from said needles, thereafter dyeing saidtubular knitted fabric and dehydrating the same, and lastly cutting opensaid tubular formation longitudinally to form a finished single web ofthe knitted fabric.

6. The method of making a millinery and trimming fabric which consistsin cutting a long and relatively wide web of regenerated cellulose intocorrespondingly long, but relativcly narrow webs of suitable width,depending upon the thickness desired in the resultant fabric, treatinsaid relativel narrow webs with a softening reagent, inc uding an oilyli uid and moisture, forming said cut and so tened webs into a tubularfabric, by knitting the same over a set of knitting needles generallycontinuously and in the same direction with the width of said relativelynarrow webs disposed generally transversely of the plane of theresultant fabric, and without any substantial tension on the resultantfabric issuing from said needles,

thereafter dyeing said tubular knitted fabric and dehydrating the same,and lastly cutting open said tubular formation longitudinally to form afinished single web of the knitted fabric. 1

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 12th dayof December, 7

LEO SILVERMAN.

